Or to take part in the freshest wave

Again, Lennox demonstrates his own personal values in suggesting his refusal to participate in the stressful, capitalistic power struggle for corporate power, vanity, and material wealth

It’s important to note that Animal Collective has been around for a decade and they are just now becoming famous.

They knew the outcome of this album, that this song was going to be mainstream enough to propel themselves into the public eye and that he was having to make decisions to either sacrifice time with his family, his art or his freedom and leisure.

He’s making the claim (probably trying to remind himself) that he’s not running a race and that his success is relevant only to gaining what he needs.